DePuy Orthopaedics is facing a new metal hip replacement lawsuit, from a South Carolina couple alleging major hip replacement problems.

Plaintiffs Joel and Elizabeth E. are suing DePuy Orthopaedics for the alleged hip replacement problems Joel endured, after having the DePuy Pinnacle was implanted.

After undergoing hip replacement surgery, Joel claims he began experiencing serious pain and other problems eventually resulting in several revision surgeries.

His wife, Elizabeth, is joining this metal hip replacement lawsuit alongside her husband, for loss of consortium and for allegedly altering their lives.

After reviewing the company’s advertisements for different hip replacement problems, Joel opted to for the DePuy Pinnacle hip implant.

According to the metal hip replacement lawsuit, Joel had the DePuy Pinnacle implanted on Nov. 05, 2008 on his left hip. While initially responding well to the metal hip implant, Joel had began experiencing extreme pain in his left hip in August 2015.

Blood tests had showed elevated blood metal ions, while MRI images had showed pseudotumor formation. These problems eventually forced Joel to undergo revision hip replacement surgery on March 29, 2016, but he still continues to suffer pain, the lawsuit states.

Overview of Metal Hip Replacement Problems

Like many implant patients, Joel opted for a metal-on-metal hip implant model for the marketed benefits the product is advertised to have.

Metal on metal hip implants are advertised to be more durable than ceramic or plastic models, with most of them being customizable to patients.

Metal hip implants are marketed to handle activities such as exercise, and are longer lasting than other hip implant options.

However, a number of these metal hip implants have been allegedly causing problems in a number of patients, similar to the injuries Joel reported in his metal hip replacement lawsuit.

The Depuy Pinnacle Hip System was approved under the FDA’s 510(k) policy, which means the device did not go through pre clinical trials for approval. Under this FDA policy, as long as the device proves to work equivalently with a similar product already on the market it qualifies for this approval method.

The hip replacement problems associated with metal hip implants were soon discovered, as numerous reports of blood metal poisoning and other injuries were soon reported.

When the ball and socket joint of the metal on metal hip implants interact, metal ions are shed into the bloodstream. This leads to blood metal poisoning, infection, corrosion, device failure, and the formation of pseudotumors.

None of these hip replacement problems were mentioned on the DePuy Pinnacle device, giving Joel no reason to expect the need for revision hip replacement surgery.

Joel’s metal hip replacement lawsuit is joining the multidistrict litigation (MDL) against DePuy, alleging similar hip replacement problems.

The Metal Hip Replacement Lawsuit is In Re: Depuy Orthopaedics, Inc. Pinnacle Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 3:16-CV-1368, in the U.S District Court of Northern Texas, Dallas Division.